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The new coronavirus could become a pandemic: What is that? Should I be worried?

In the minds of many, the word "pandemic" is closely connected to the 1918 flu pandemic that killed tens of millions of people, Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told USA TODAY.

But by definition, a pandemic doesn't require that scale of destruction.

In reality, it's a loosely-defined term that can prompt overreaction, Fauci said.

There is no strict definition for how serious the illness should be, and previous pandemics have varying fatality rates.

But a disease with the potential to spread around the world may not be as unusual as it sounds, according to William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University.

Advances in technology have made it easier to detect and track new diseases, he told USA TODAY. “Events like this probably happened in the past and never went defined because we didn’t have the science to make the diagnosis back then,” he said.

Fauci said there are several reasons for this. For one thing, the virus' spread in other countries has not yet been sustained for a significant amount of time. And since many of the cases outside China are related to travel, the virus' global impact isn't yet considered widespread.

Will the coronavirus become a pandemic?

There are some indications that it may, but experts can't say for sure.

“Given the nature of how easily it’s spreading in China, I would not be surprised if it evolved into a pandemic,” Fauci said.

That's an opinion echoed by Schaffner, who said he believes the virus has the potential to spread around the world.

When a strain of H1N1 flu became a pandemic in 2009, it killed more than 12,000 and sickened over 60 million Americans in one year. But now, it circles the globe as a seasonal virus that causes limited health concerns.

Should you worry about a coronavirus pandemic?

Schaffner and Fauci agree it's too soon to know for sure what will happen with the virus.

Instead of worrying, educate yourself, suggests Schaffner. He believes U.S. health officials are taking "coordinated" and "forceful" steps — and he thinks its working.

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A passenger leaves after disembarking from the Diamond Princess cruise ship at the Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, Japan, on Feb. 19, 2020, after the cruise ship's coronavirus quarantine came to an end. Charly Triballeau, AFP via Getty Images

Passengers leave after disembarking from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which had been in quarantine due to cases of the new COVID-19 coronavirus, at the Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama, Japan on Feb. 19, 2020. Kazuhiro Nogi, AFP via Getty Images

A bus carrying passengers, who will board a Qantas aircraft chartered by the Australian government, from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship drives at the Daikoku Pier on Feb. 19, 2020 in Yokohama, Japan. Tomohiro Ohsumi, Getty Images

Buses carrying passengers from the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship leave a port in Yokohama, near Tokyo, Feb. 17, 2020. A group of Americans cut short a 14-day quarantine on the Diamond Princess cruise ship in the port of Yokohama, Japan, to be whisked back to the U.S. but will have to spend another quarantine period at a U.S. military facility. Jae C. Hong, AP

A bus carrying U.S. passengers who were aboard the quarantined cruise ship the Diamond Princess arrives at Haneda airport in Tokyo, before the passengers board a Kalitta airplane chartered by the U.S. government Monday, Feb. 17, 2020. Sadayuki Goto, AP

In this image from a video taken on Monday, Feb. 17, 2020, Cheryl Molesky, left, and Paul Molesky, who evacuated off the quarantined cruise ship the Diamond Princess, film selfie video aboard a Kalitta Air plane bound for the U.S., at Haneda airport in Tokyo. Cheryl and Paul Molesky via AP

In this image from a video taken on Feb. 17, 2020, U.S. passengers who evacuated off the quarantined cruise ship the Diamond Princess board a Kalitta Air plane bound for the U.S., at Haneda airport in Tokyo. Cheryl and Paul Molesky via AP

In this image from a video taken on Monday, Feb. 17, 2020, U.S. passengers who evacuated off the quarantined cruise ship the Diamond Princess and officials wait for the takeoff of a Kalitta Air airplane bound for the U.S. Cheryl and Paul Molesky via AP

In this image from a video taken on Monday, Feb. 17, 2020, U.S. passengers who evacuated off the quarantined cruise ship the Diamond Princess, board a Kalitta Air plane bound for the U.S., at Haneda airport in Tokyo. Cheryl and Paul Molesky via AP

A bus driven by a chauffeur in protective gear departs the dock occupied by the quarantined Diamond Princess. A group of passengers who are elderly or have pre-existing medical conditions were removed from the ship Friday and will finish out their quarantine on shore in Japan. CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images

The Diamond Princess arrives back in port in Yokohama, Japan, Feb. 12 after going out to sea to produce potable water. The ship remains under quarantine until Feb. 19 after hundreds of people were diagnosed with coronavirus. Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

People wearing protective suits walk from the Diamond Princess cruise ship, with thousands of people quarantined onboard due to fears of the new coronavirus, at the Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama port on February 10, 2020. Charly Triballeau, AFP via Getty Images

A passenger waves from behind banners reading please broadcast this on TV, thank you for reporting this and shortage of medicine from a balcony of the Diamond Princess cruise ship as it sits docked at Daikoku Pier where it is being resupplied and newly diagnosed coronavirus cases taken for treatment as it remains in quarantine on February 11, 2020 in Yokohama, Japan. Carl Court, Getty Images

Members of the media film the cruise ship Diamond Princess as it sits in quarantine in the Yokohama Port Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020, Yokohama, Japan. The death toll from the new virus outbreak surpassed the number of fatalities in the 2002-03 SARS epidemic. Eugene Hoshiko, AP

Staff load supplies to the cruise ship Diamond Princess anchored at the Yokohama Port in Yokohama, near Tokyo Sunday, Feb. 9, 2020. There are 3,700 passengers and crew on the Diamond Princess who must remain on board for 14 days. Eugene Hoshiko, AP

Cruise ship Diamond Princess leaves Yokohama Port to be anchored off Yokohama, near Tokyo, Saturday, Feb. 8, 2020. Three more cases were diagnosed Saturday among thousands of passengers and crew on the quarantined ship. Those aboard remain under 14-day quarantine. Koki Sengoku, AP

Military personnel and medical staff clad in protective gear are seen at work near the quarantined Diamond Princess cruise ship at Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal in Yokohama on February 7, 2020. Kazuhiro Nogi, AFP via Getty Images

The Diamond Princess cruise ship sits docked at Daikoku Pier where it is being resupplied and newly diagnosed coronavirus cases taken for treatment as it remains in quarantine after some people on board were confirmed to have coronavirus, on February 7, 2020 in Yokohama, Japan. Carl Court, Getty Images

Ambulances wait on the dock near the Diamond Princess cruise ship to transfer passengers who tested positive for the new coronavirus, at the Daikoku Pier Cruise Terminal. STR, Jiji Press/AFP via Getty Images